How to Remove Searchmulty.com Hijacker

Can’t Remove Searchmulty.com hijacker virus? This page includes detailed Searchmulty.com Removal instructions!

The Searchmulty.com platform seems great. It claims to provide advanced search functions, as well as fast access to dozens of popular websites. It’s a shame that the website is deceptive. The page is the face of a nasty parasite. If it pops up on your screen, you are in for trouble. Your computer harbors a parasite. Somewhere in the corners of your OS, the Searchmulty.com hijacker lurks. The parasite sneaks into your OS unnoticed and wreaks utter havoc. This invader corrupts your web browsers and turns them into ad-displaying tools. The hijacker follows instructions to generate revenue through a pay-per-click scheme. Basically, the parasite displays adverts and gets paid when you click on them. The more ads you see, the bigger the chance you click. Thus, the hijacker drowns its victims in a sea of advertisements. It injects dozens of banner and in-text ads on every website you visit. The parasite knows no boundaries. It even dares pause your online videos for commercial breaks. But if you still resist the urge to click, it changes its tactics and starts browser redirection. The Searchmulty.com hijacker is very aggressive and intrusive. Given enough time, it tends to get out of control. Do not wait for this scenario to unfold. Spare yourself many future headaches. Remove this parasite now! The sooner it’s gone, the better!

Remove Searchmulty.com

How did I get infected with?

The Searchmulty.com hijacker cannot enter your OS without an invitation. As you can imagine, though, the parasite knows how to steal one. It uses trickery to sneak in behind your back. The parasite hides in software bundles, fake updates, and spam emails. It lurks in the shadows and waits for you to make a mistake. The parasite relies on your carelessness and naivety. No anti-virus app can protect you if you act recklessly. So, don’t let your guard down. Only your caution can keep your device secure and virus-free. Don’t visit shady websites. Download your software from reputable sources only. And pay close attention to all installation wizards. When available, use the advanced setup option. Most of the free apps we download off the web come bundled with bonus programs. The extras, however, are often parasites like the hijacker. Under the advanced installation, you would be able to prevent these unwanted programs from installing. Also, before you click on the “Accept” button, read the terms and conditions. You can, of course, speed up this step by using an online EULA analyzer. Abort the installation if you detect anything suspicious.

Why is this dangerous?

The Searchmulty.com hijacker is like a pain in the neck: it gets worse with time. This parasite gets more and more aggressive with each passing day. It becomes a burden for your browser. The hijacker causes your poor web browser to freeze and crash frequently. The parasite may also slow your system down and cause Internet connection instability. These issues, however, should not be in the center of your attention. The things that happen in the shadows are far worse. The Searchmulty.com hijacker jeopardizes both your privacy and security. This parasite spies on you and exposes the collected data to criminal eyes. The hijacker monitors your browsing related data. It knows which websites you visit, what kind of videos like you watch, which adverts you click on, etc. Even the Incognito mode of your web browser cannot hide you from the parasite. The Searchmulty.com hijacker knows your every online move. And when it deems it has enough data, it proceeds to send it. To whom? To its owners, of course. These people use the information to target you with adverts, as well as sell access to it. Anyone willing to spend some money can use the hijacker and its resources. Hundreds of crooks do! They use the collected data to design irresistible adverts. The crooks create customized advertising campaigns and push them on you. They show you what you want to see, but when you click, bad things happen. The Searchmulty.com hijacker is very likely to redirect you to scam, phishing and infected websites. This parasite is very hazardous. It turns you into an easy target. Do not put up with this position. Remove the parasite before it lures you into an online trap!

How to Remove Searchmulty.com virus

The Searchmulty.com infection is specifically designed to make money to its creators one way or another. The specialists from various antivirus companies like Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton, Avast, ESET, etc. advise that there is no harmless virus.

If you perform exactly the steps below you should be able to remove the Searchmulty.com infection. Please, follow the procedures in the exact order. Please, consider to print this guide or have another computer at your disposal. You will NOT need any USB sticks or CDs.

STEP 1: Track down Searchmulty.com related processes in the computer memory

STEP 2: Locate Searchmulty.com startup location

STEP 3: Delete Searchmulty.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

STEP 4: Undo the damage done by the virus

STEP 1: Track down Searchmulty.com related processes in the computer memory

  • Open your Task Manager by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC keys simultaneously
  • Carefully review all processes and stop the suspicious ones.

end-malicious-process

  • Write down the file location for later reference.

Step 2: Locate Searchmulty.com startup location

Reveal Hidden Files

  • Open any folder
  • Click on “Organize” button
  • Choose “Folder and Search Options”
  • Select the “View” tab
  • Select “Show hidden files and folders” option
  • Uncheck “Hide protected operating system files”
  • Click “Apply” and “OK” button

Clean Searchmulty.com virus from the windows registry

  • Once the operating system loads press simultaneously the Windows Logo Button and the R key.

win-plus-r

  • A dialog box should open. Type “Regedit”

regedit

Depending on your OS (x86 or x64) navigate to:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] or
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]

  • and delete the display Name: [RANDOM]

delete backgroundcontainer

  • Then open your explorer and navigate to: %appdata% folder and delete the malicious executable.

Clean your HOSTS file to avoid unwanted browser redirection

Navigate to %windir%/system32/Drivers/etc/host

If you are hacked, there will be foreign IPs addresses connected to you at the bottom. Take a look below:

hosts-redirect-virus

STEP 3 : Clean Searchmulty.com traces from Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer

  • Open Google Chrome

  • In the Main Menu, select Tools then Extensions
  • Remove the Searchmulty.com by clicking on the little recycle bin
  • Reset Google Chrome by Deleting the current user to make sure nothing is left behind

disable Searchmulty.com from chrome

  • Open Mozilla Firefox

  • Press simultaneously Ctrl+Shift+A
  • Disable the unwanted Extension
  • Go to Help
  • Then Troubleshoot information
  • Click on Reset Firefox

remove Searchmulty.com from firefox

  • Open Internet Explorer

  • On the Upper Right Corner Click on the Gear Icon
  • Click on Internet options
  • go to Toolbars and Extensions and disable the unknown extensions
  • Select the Advanced tab and click on Reset

remove Searchmulty.com from ie

  • Restart Internet Explorer

Step 4: Undo the damage done by Searchmulty.com

This particular Virus may alter your DNS settings.

Attention! this can break your internet connection. Before you change your DNS settings to use Google Public DNS for Searchmulty.com, be sure to write down the current server addresses on a piece of paper.

To fix the damage done by the virus you need to do the following.

  • Click the Windows Start button to open the Start Menu, type control panel in the search box and select Control Panel in the results displayed above.
  • go to Network and Internet
  • then Network and Sharing Center
  • then Change Adapter Settings
  • Right-click on your active internet connection and click properties. Under the Networking tab, find Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Left click on it and then click on properties. Both options should be automatic! By default it should be set to “Obtain an IP address automatically” and the second one to “Obtain DNS server address automatically!” If they are not just change them, however if you are part of a domain network you should contact your Domain Administrator to set these settings, otherwise the internet connection will break!!!

You must clean all your browser shortcuts as well. To do that you need to

  • Right click on the shortcut of your favorite browser and then select properties.

safebrowsing-biz-shortcut-removal

  • in the target field remove Searchmulty.com argument and then apply the changes.
  • Repeat that with the shortcuts of your other browsers.
  • Check your scheduled tasks to make sure the virus will not download itself again.

How to Permanently Remove Searchmulty.com Virus (automatic) Removal Guide

Please, have in mind that once you are infected with a single virus, it compromises your whole system or network and let all doors wide open for many other infections. To make sure manual removal is successful, we recommend to use a free scanner of any professional antimalware program to identify possible registry leftovers or temporary files.

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